By Abiola Olawale
The military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have finalised plans for the establishment of a new “Confederation.”
The grouping, codenamed, “Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES),” came after the three countries pulled out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), following various sanctions, and threats to militarily restore the overthrown democratically-elected government in the Republic of Niger.
The announcement of formation of the new body comes in the wake President Bola Tinubu’s appeal to his Senegalese counterpart, Bassirou Faye, to assist in luring back the three countries to the ECOWAS.
Tinubu, who is the Chairman of ECOWAS, appealed to his much younger Senegalese president to join the bid to persuade the three countries to return to the regional bloc.
“As the Chairman of ECOWAS, I am inviting you to collaborate and meet those other brothers. To persuade them to come back to the fold,” Tinubu said when he received Faye at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, May 16.
The final resolution to establish the Confederation was reached after the three foreign ministers of the countries met on Friday, May 17, in Niger.
During the meeting, the foreign ministers finalised the draft text that would ensure the creation of the Confederation.
Speaking after the meeting, Niger’s Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangare, said: “The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).”
He said the text would now be sent to the respective heads of state of the countries for adoption, but he failed to give a specific date for the official announcement.
Similarly, the Malian Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, said: “We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born.”
The New Diplomat reports that on January 28, 2024, the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS after the trio had been sanctioned following military coups that overthrew elected civilian governments in the countries.
While announcing their withdrawal, the military strongmen alleged that France was “instrumentalising” ECOWAS. They also alleged that the bloc had fallen under the influence of some other foreign governments, whose interests, they said, were far from the peoples.”
However, ECOWAS, on February 24, resolved to lift economic sanctions on Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, and Mali, which appears to have failed to change their resolve to break away from ECOWAS.
However, President Tinubu in his meeting with President Faye, emphasised that democratic governance, democratic values, and constitutional order are sacrosanct and must be protected.
“But how can we work for our people and make them the focus of our democracy if we are violating the rule of law and promoting unconstitutional takeover of government?” Tinubu said.
The Nigerian President said that critical institutions and precepts, like the judiciary and the rule of law, must be respected and observed for the sustenance of democracy.
“Constitutional democracy is what Senegal proved to the rest of the world and Africa. It is a joy to have you (Faye) here; to meet the hope and aspiration of our youths. You fit in perfectly well.
“A critical time it is in the history of constitutional democracy, particularly in West Africa. What you have embarked upon, a struggle couched in freedom, is remarkable,” Tinubu said.
In his remarks, President Faye said that, “ECOWAS is the beacon of successful regional integration in Africa and globally. It is something we owe to the founding fathers of the community, and I have no doubt that you want to continue this legacy of integration.
“I know I can rely on your wisdom and experience, as the leader of this great African nation, and the more recent example of Senegal; so that together, hand in hand, we can grow together, and that we can discuss with our brothers and convince them to come back into the fold,” Faye said.
“To come back and share our common democratic values and what we stand for. Your wisdom and your democratic values should be an asset to that vision, and my youth and determination can also be an asset.
“United, we are stronger. Faced with common challenges, such as human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and all other challenges, we need to show resolve to confront these challenges so that economically, we can thrive and satisfy the wishes of our people,” Faye said.
